"I really want to focus on bringing higher-income jobs to the 16 counties of the district," Reynolds said after holding a hometown rally with nearly 50 other Democrats at Barfield Crescent Park in Murfreesboro. "I believe the way to do that is through investing in our district. We must invest in our infrastructure and in our education system, so our people are ready when the jobs come."

Reynolds is the lone Democrat running and will face the Republican nominee in the Nov. 8 general election.

The Aug. 4 GOP primary has incumbent U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais of South Pittsburg running against three other Murfreesboro candidates: Grant Starrett, Erran Persley and Yomi "Fapas" Faparusi.

Although Rutherford County represents about half of the district, Reynolds said he will be campaigning in all 16 counties.

Reynolds works for Oldcastle Materials as the sales manager of the Southeast region of the country. The company provides aggregate limestone products for roads and other construction projects. He and his wife have three children: a son who is a rising freshman at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, a daughter at Blackman High School in Murfreesboro and another daughter at Rockvale Middle School.

The rally for Reynolds attracted Stephen Durham of Marion County.

"I believe he'll work for the people in the district, and I don't believe the Republicans are interested in supporting the people of the district," said Durham, a disabled veteran who is advising Reynolds on veterans issues. "The race should be about issues."

Durham said he likes how Reynolds is talking about attracting higher-paying jobs when the median family income in the rural counties of the district is about $15,000 below the national average.

"There's no opportunities for the young people," Durham said. "Our leaders do not have a vision."

Reynolds also told the rally audience that he supports prison reform that rehabilitates nonviolent offenders to enable them to return to their families rather than locking them up for a long time.

"We are ruining kids' lives," Reynolds said. "It's blatant racism."

Murfreesboro Democrat Emily Mitchell said she likes what Reynolds says.

"He speaks realistically," said Mitchell, a kindergarten teacher at David Youree Elementary School in Smyrna and a board member with the Tennessee Education Association. "He speaks locally. He speaks about concerns and not political talking points. I really like that. He's real. He's not fake. He's not here with an agenda."

Although Reynolds is running in a district that gave Democrat Lenda Sherrell only 35 percent of the 2014 vote to the 58 percent for DesJarlais, Mitchell is pleased with what she sees in her party's nominee for Congress this year.